Title 35

The department is authorized to provide comfortable and accessible headquarters for the commissioner and deputy commissioner of public safety and for the various divisions thereof. The department is authorized and empowered to provide such quarters and offices by purchase, lease,…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term ‘‘peace officer’’ means peace officer as defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (8) of Code Section 35-8-2, as amended. (b) The commissioner is authorized and directed to negotiate the terms of a memorandum of understanding between the…

(a)(1) Certified law enforcement officers employed by the department may use a department motor vehicle while working an off-duty job if such job requires vested police powers as a condition of employment, has been approved by the commissioner, and has been determined by the comm…

There is created a Department of Public Safety. History. — Ga. L. 1937, p. 322, art. 1, § 1; Ga. L. 1972, p. 1015, § 1601.

(a) There is created the position of commissioner of public safety. The commissioner shall be the chief administrative officer and shall be both appointed and removed by the board with the approval of the Governor. Except as otherwise provided by law and subject to the general po…

The commissioner may be a member of the Uniform Division of the department and upon removal from such office without prejudice he shall revert to his original rank in the Uniform Division which he held when he was appointed to office. History. — Ga. L. 1949, p. 70, § 1.

As prescribed by the board, the commissioner may rank as senior colonel in the Uniform Division and may be the chief officer thereof or the board may appoint a colonel in the Uniform Division as the chief officer thereof. History. — Ga. L. 1937, p. 322, art. 1, § 4; Ga. L. 1949, …

In perfecting the organization of the department or any division thereof, the commissioner shall be authorized with approval of the board to employ and provide compensation for such expert temporary assistance as may be necessary. History. — Ga. L. 1937, p. 322, art. 2, § 8.

(a) The commissioner is vested with authority to appoint a deputy commissioner of public safety, who shall have the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Uniform Division of the department. (b) The deputy commissioner may be a member of the Uniform Division of the department and upon…

The commissioner shall appoint a comptroller to ensure the proper receipt, accounting, and disbursement of funds of the department. The comptroller shall not be a member of the Uniform Division of the department. The comptroller shall give a good and sufficient surety bond in the…

The department is authorized to pay all medical, surgical, hospital, nursing, and other similar expenses incurred by any member of the Georgia State Patrol as a result of injuries received in the line of duty. The department is authorized to make such payments in addition to any …

There is created and established a division of the Department of Public Safety to be known as the Uniform Division, the members of which shall be known and designated as the ‘‘Georgia State Patrol.’’ History. — Ga. L. 1937, p. 322, art. 2, § 1.

The Uniform Division of the Department of Public Safety shall consist of: (1) The officers, noncommissioned officers, and troopers of the headquarters staff; (2) The officers, noncommissioned officers, and troopers of one battalion. History. — Ga. L. 1937, p. 322, art. 2, § 2; Ga…

(a) The Uniform Division of the department shall have jurisdiction throughout this state with such duties and powers as are prescribed by law. (b) It shall be the primary duty of the Uniform Division to patrol the public roads and highways of this state, including interstate and …

(a) It shall be the duty of the Uniform Division: (1) To enforce the laws of this state relating to the use, ownership, control, licensing, and registration of motor vehicles and Code Sections 32-9-4 and 40-6-54, relating to designation of restricted travel lanes; (2) On property…

The headquarters staff shall be composed of the commissioner, deputy commissioner, and such other commissioned and noncommissioned officers, troopers, and clerical personnel as the commissioner deems necessary for use at headquarters. History. — Ga. L. 1937, p. 322, art. 2, § 2; …

The clerical duties at headquarters shall be performed by the headquarters staff. The commissioner, in his discretion, may transfer any member of the headquarters staff to any other division or district for any other duty. History. — Ga. L. 1937, p. 322, art. 2, § 2; Ga. L. 1946,…

(a) The battalion of the Uniform Division shall consist of such personnel as the commissioner, with the approval of the board, may deem necessary within the limits set by available appropriations. (b) The personnel of the battalion shall be ranked according to a semimilitary stru…

(a) There is created within the Uniform Division, a special service known as the Auxiliary Service. The members of the Auxiliary Service of the Uniform Division shall be appointed by the commissioner on a part-time basis and shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner. The me…

To support the battalion, the commissioner, with the approval of the board, is authorized to employ such communications officers as may be necessary, within the limits set by available appropriations. Such personnel shall not be considered members of the Uniform Division. Communi…

The commissioner, with the approval of the board, is authorized to divide the state into districts or divisions as may be necessary for the purpose of effectually patrolling the public roads and highways of the state and of the counties thereof and for combating, detecting, and p…

The commissioner is authorized, with the approval of the board, to provide comfortable barracks and quarters for the officers and troopers of the Uniform Division. History. — Ga. L. 1937, p. 322, art. 2, § 11; Ga. L. 1946, p. 39, § 3.

In the event any district or division headquarters is established by the commissioner, he shall be authorized, with the approval of the board, to purchase, lease, or construct proper quarters or barracks for the men and equipment at such district or division, and to this end may …

Subject to the provisions of Code Section 35-2-41.1, any municipality or county of this state is authorized to purchase and convey property by deed, gift, rent, or lease for the use of the department for division or district headquarters. If the deed from the municipality or coun…

(a) Any offer to donate or convey by deed, gift, rent, lease, or other means any property, equipment, or services to the department shall be made in writing through command channels to the commissioner. If the commissioner approves the offer, he or she shall submit a written prop…

(a) All members of the Uniform Division, all communications officers, and all recruits or cadets shall be governed by rules and regulations as now or hereafter established under Chapter 20 of Title 45. (b) The board shall be authorized to provide for a subsistence and per diem al…

It shall be the duty of the commissioner, subject to the laws of this state, to arrange for the enlistment and examination of applicants for service as troopers or officers of the Uniform Division of the Department of Public Safety, to provide the necessary preliminary training a…

(a) Any trooper first class of the Uniform Division of the Department of Public Safety shall be eligible for promotion to the rank of corporal, provided he has served a period of 12 months in the Georgia State Patrol including the period of probation. (b) Any noncommissioned or c…

All officers, troopers, and communications officers who are in the classified service as defined by Code Section 45-20-2 may be dismissed from their employment with the department only in accordance with Chapter 20 of Title 45 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.…

All officers, troopers, and communications officers who are in the classified service as defined by Code Section 45-20-2 may be suspended pending their dismissal from employment with the department as provided in Chapter 20 of Title 45 or the rules and regulations promulgated the…

The commissioner shall, within the limit of the appropriation, provide the sworn members of the Department of Public Safety with proper uniforms, suitable to the season, and also with emergency and first-aid outfits, weapons, motor vehicles with radio equipment, and all other nec…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term ‘‘disability’’ means a disability that prevents an individual from working as a law enforcement officer. (b) When a member of the Uniform Division of the Department of Public Safety leaves the Uniform Division as a result of a disability…

(a) The uniforms, supplies, and equipment authorized by Code Section 35-2-49 shall be purchased by the Department of Administrative Services, with the consent and approval of the Department of Public Safety, by bid let to the lowest and best bidder and in accordance with specific…

(a) The commissioner shall provide a storeroom or rooms where all excess supplies of clothing, equipment, and other articles shall be stored and shall insure the same against loss by fire. (b) All old and worn equipment must be delivered to the custodian or custodians of such sto…

The commissioner, at his discretion and subject to available funds, shall be authorized to pay to members of the Uniform Division a clothing allowance when the members are permanently assigned to personal security or special duty assignments which necessitate those members wearin…

No member of the Uniform Division of the Department of Public Safety shall receive any costs, emoluments, or other compensation other than his salary and any additional compensation provided by or through federal funding to which he may be entitled, except a legal reward as other…

(a) The commissioner, with the approval of the board, is authorized to purchase group life, group accident, and group hospitalization insurance contracts, policies, or certificates issued to the members of the Uniform Division, provided that such contracts of insurance shall be a…

The commissioner is authorized and directed to arrange the work schedules of members of the Uniform Division in such a manner that each member shall be given compensatory time off for each day which he is required to work and which is also a legal state holiday. Such compensatory…

When an unmarked pursuit vehicle used by the Georgia State Patrol for the purpose of enforcing the traffic laws of this state is first removed from the field and will no longer be used on a regular basis for pursuit purposes, the commissioner of public safety is authorized, in hi…

(a) Any other provision of law notwithstanding, the commissioner, subject to approval by the board, shall have the power to sell or trade surplus motor vehicles no longer needed by the department and use the proceeds from the sale or trade toward the purchase of new motor vehicle…

The commissioner is authorized, with the approval of the board, to establish a Security Guard Division within the department. History. — Ga. L. 1968, p. 475, § 1.

(a) While in the performance of their duties, such security guards shall have the same powers of arrest and the same powers to enforce law and order as the sheriff of the county and the chief of police of the municipality in this state in which any such security guards are perfor…

All persons employed as security guards shall be compensated in an amount to be prescribed by the commissioner and shall be furnished with and shall wear such distinctive uniforms and equipment as may be prescribed by the commissioner. History. — Ga. L. 1968, p. 475, § 3.

(a) The commissioner shall be authorized to employ such number of security guards as may be necessary to keep watch over and protect the Governor and members of his immediate family, the Lieutenant Governor and members of his immediate family, the Speaker of the House of Represen…

(a) The Governor is authorized, in his discretion, to direct by executive order that the employees of the Security Guard Division shall be covered by the rules of the State Personnel Board and in such order shall specify the date on which the rules shall become applicable to such…

This article shall be known and may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Public Safety Nomenclature Act of 1995.’’ History. — Code 1981, § 35-2-80, enacted by Ga. L. 1995, p. 925, § 2.